Indian wedding dresses offer traditional glamour and ooze femininity. Discover why so many brides to be are turning to India for inspiration when it comes to their wedding gown.

It would be no exaggeration to refer to an Indian wedding as an explosion of color. Nevertheless, it isn't just the age old rituals, elaborate henna tattoos or the beautiful rose gold jewelry which creates such an exotic ambiance, but the Indian wedding dresses themselves.

In fact, Indian fashion has taken the world by storm in recent times. Indian fashion for her offers a heady cocktail of ultra feminine, timeless sophistication combined with classical yet contemporary chic. Not surprisingly, women the world over are looking to Indian wedding dresses for inspiration when it comes to the most important of gowns; their bridal gown.

India is, of course, a nation of cultural and religious diversity. Many of the country's native religions such as Buddhism, Hinduism and Sikhism are still widely practiced. Moreover, as India has seen many transients pass through her borders throughout history; traders, conquerors, travelers and missionaries, many non-native religions have become assimilated and socially accepted. As such, an Indian bridal gown will be largely determined by the bride's faith, and sometimes by the region to which she belongs.

Sikh brides will normally wear a bridal Salwar-Kameez or a Lehenga-Choli on their special day. The Salwar-Kameez is a combination of three pieces; the Salwar, which is a pair of loosely fitting trousers of sorts, that taper at the ankles and are tightly drawn at the bride's waist.

A Kameez is worn over the Salwar and normally drapes to the knees or just below. The third and final piece is the Dupatta, a matching scarf which can be worn over the shoulders or used to cover the head.

Typically all three pieces of the bridal Salwar-kameez will be heavily embroidered and often jewel embellished. Traditionally a Sikh bride will wear red, however it is not uncommon to see variations of rose or fuchsia pink, lavender, purple and sometimes even green.

Indian Wedding Dresses: Bridal Saris for Hindu and Christian Brides.

In Hindu tradition, the bride will wear two traditional saris on her wedding day. A white sari, often made from the finest chiffon, which may be embellished with red or gold embroidery. Later, or at least during the celebrations, she will wear a red, decorative sari.

The first sari, the white one, is traditionally given as a gift to the bride by her maternal uncles. The red sari on the other hand, is gifted by the family of the groom.